Keyboard for pianos.



No. 856,723. PATENTED JUNE 11, 1907. W. D. REAVES.

KEYBOARD FOR PIANOS.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. a, 1006.

THE NORRIS PETERS cu, v/Asumanw, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE.

KEYBOARD FOR PIANOS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1907.

Application filed September 8, 1906. Serial No. 333,787.

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM D. REAVES, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Bend, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Keyboards for Pianos, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in pianos, and especially to the key-beds thereof.

I11 the style of piano known as upright, the case of the piano is of box-like shape with the key-bed projecting from one side thereof; and in transporting a piano from place to place or moving it through narrow hallways and openings, the key-board often offers an obstruction, and further becomes scratched and otherwise damaged.

The object of the present invention is to obviate these disadvantages by providing a folding key-bed, which may be tilted to bring its undersurface flush with the front face of the piano and thereby reduce the width of the piano case some ten or twelve inches, more or less, permitting it to be readily moved through narrow passages and also affording more space in the room when the piano is not in use.

The details of construction will be better understood by referring to the following description and to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the front of a piano showing the key-bed exten ded in a position ready for use. Fig. 2 is a similar viewshowing the keybed folded so as to lie flu sh with the front of the case. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a portion of the front of a piano with the key-bed extended for use and Fig. 4 is a side-elevation of the inner end wall of the piano with the key-bed shown in dotted lines.

Making renewed reference to the drawings wherein like characters of notation indicate corresponding parts of the several views, 1 designates the front of the case of a piano, 2 one of the end walls thereof and 3 the keybed. The key-bed is pivoted in the end walls of the piano as at 4 and such pivot may consist of a rod that extends entirely through the key-bed with its ends projecting from opposite ends thereof, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, or it may consist of pintles driven into the ends of the key-bed. In either case the projecting ends or pintles are journaled in ball bearings 5, and from such bearings leads a groove 6 which extends upwardly and rearwardly, and opens in the rear edge of the front corner posts so that the key-bed may be attached and removed from the piano-case by causing the pintles 4 to traverse the grooves 6 as will be obvious; the pintles being retained in their bearings by gravity.

The key-bed is limited in its movement outwardly and downwardly by stop-blocks 7, mounted in suitable brackets S in the end walls of the piano case. These stop-blocl s are preferably adjustable in the brackets S by means of set screws 9 which have a threaded engagement with the brackets. The keybed has a rear extension 10 with which these stop-blocks engage, so that when the keybed is swung out to a position shown in Fig. 1 it will be arrested by the extension 10 00111- ing in contact with the stop-blocks when the key-bed reaches a horizontal position; bit in the event that there should be any variation in the position of the key-bed due to wear or shrinkage or the like, which variation might effect the proper operation of the action 11, a nicety of adjustment between the key-bed, the keys and the action is readily effected by the set screws 9.

The keys 12 are of the usual construction and mounted in the usual way upon the balance-rail 13, which is mounted on the keybed 3. An ornamental music holder 14 may also be mounted upon the key-bed in any suitable manner.

To closethe spaces above the music holder and below the key-bed when the latter is swung outwardly for use, I provide suitable fly-boards 15, which are hinged to the front of the case as at 16 in such, a manner as to close the openings above referred to and remain flush with the front face of the piano case, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. When, however, the key-bed is swung inwardly these fly-boards are like-wise swung inwardly, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and in full lines in Fig. 2, wherein the bottom of the key-bed is flush with the front face of the case.

From the description above given it will be seen that the entire key-bed with its keys may be readily removed from the piano case either for repairs to the key-board itself or to the interior of the piano, access being readily gained to the I latter through the large opening caused by the removal of the key-bed; and further this key-bed may be swung up within the case when the piano is IIO not in use or it is to be transported and such a swinging key-bed will not afl'ect the operation of the piano for the reason that it may be adjusted relative to the piano action, and. generally the arrangement is one of strength, simplicity and durability.

l' illaving thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A. piano having its front corner posts formed with grooves each provided with an open end and terminating at its opposite end in a bearing, and a key-bed having pintles pivoted in said bearings.

2. A piano having its front corner posts formed with grooves each provided with an open outer end and an enlarged closed end, balls in the enlarged end of each groove, and a key-bed having pintles mounted in said enlarged ends of the grooves and contacted with by said balls.

3. The combination with the case of a piano having an opening therein, a flyboard hinged at the top and one hinged. at the bottom of said opening, and a key-bed. pivoted in said opening between said lly boards, the latter cooperating with the keybed to close said opening when the key-bed is in playing position.

4. The combination with the case of a piano having an opening therein and also having its front corner posts provic ed with grooves, each groove provided with an open end and terminating in a bearing, a fly-board hinged at the top of said opening and one at the bottom of the opening, and a l ey-bed pivoted in the opening between the fly-boards and cooperating with the latter to close said opening when the key-bed is in playing position.

5. The combination with a piano case hav ing grooves and an opening therein, of a removable lrey-bed mounted. in said opening and. provided with pintles for engagement in said. grooves.

6. A piano having its front corner posts formed with grooves on the inner -faces thereof, said grooves opening at one end into the rear face of the posts and terminating at their ends in bearings and a key-board having pintles pivoted in said bearings.

7. The combination with a piano case having an opening therein, of a lly-board hinged at the top of the opening and one at the bottom of the latter, a key-bed pivoted in the opening and cooperating with the ily-boards to close said opening when the key-bed is in playing position, and a stop block mounted in the case and adapted to be engaged by the key-bed.

S. The combination with a piano case hav ing its front corner posts forme d with grooves, said grooves each having an open end and a closed end to form a bearing, the case also having an opening therein, l'ly boards hinged one at the top and another at the bottom of said opening, a key bed having pintles mount ed in the aforesaid bearings, the key-bed cooperating with said fly-boards to close said opening when the hey-bed is in playing position, and a stop-block mounted in the ease and adapted to be engaged by the l eybed.

In testimony whereof I have signed. my name to this specification in the presence oi two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM D. REAVES.

Witnesses GEORGE OLTSCH, G. M. CoLE. 

